KAISER'S AMAZING SPEECH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 120, 30 August 1910, Page 5

KAISER'S AMAZING SPEECH

GERMANY'S REMARKABLE RULER,

PAST INDISCRETION.

The Kaiser's indiscretions are notorious. A recent writer said of him:~ "The Sphinx is easier to understand than the Kaiser, and woman is an open book as compared with him. x ai it really ian't difficult for the Sphinx to be mysterious. Its greatest mystery is its silence. But tlfc Kaiser isn't dint He makes speeches. Many of them*. Even grants interviews. And still leaves us puzzled. There has never been anything like it. He recoaiciies in hie person the most incongruous traits. He is the most impulsive of reigning moo. archs. There can be no doubt about that. Yet he is almost Machiavellian in premeditation. That telegram to Kruger, was impulsive, yet carefully calculated, and prepared at the Foreign Office I Shrewd observers say that the historical interview in the London Daily Telegraph had ieen no less carefully launched. And that the hubbub attendant upon its publication furthered some far-seeing plan. At the time, it will be remembered, a cyclone broke loose in German editorial ink-pots. And, behold! William, the imperious, humbly bowed his headl Perhaps he smiled to' himself somewhat eadly. But he said nothing. . . , And, then, suddenly, it began to dawn upon Germany that the Kaiser's gravest indiscretions are often his shrewdest coups."

THE KRUGER TELEGRAM. In 1896, on hearing that the Jameson Raid had failed, the Kaiser sent bis famous telegram to President Kruger, ceogratulating Mia upon maintaining peace and preserving his, independence "without appealing to the help of friendly Powers." The immediate result of this episede was the almost instantaneous mobilisation, in England, of a special service squadron, and the expedition with which the arrangements were carried out afforded a display of naval activity and resource which caused the Germans to reflect upon their own nawal shortcomings. He followed up the above message by a succession of inflammatory telegrams and speeches which evoked derision in some quarters, and caused ' intense irritation in others. During the South African Boer War certain German steamers were seized for carrying contraband of war. "The events of the last few days," said he, "have convinced wider and wider circles that Germany's honour as well as her interests, must be protected on distant seas." "HUMILIATE ENGLAND TO THE* DUST."

In 1908 a striking episode of the year was the publication in the London Daily Telegraph in October of a remarkable ' '-. interview, in which the Kaiser declared that it was one of Tiis dearest wishes to live at peace with England, though the ; prevailing sentiment amongst large sections of the middle and lower classes of ; j Germany was not friendly to England. He stated that when the Boer Wax was. . ~; at its height Germany was invited by • the French and Russian Governments ta \ join in calling upon England to put an •, ■;* end to the war, and so save the Boer Re* n public and "humiliate England to the ~( dust." He further said that he bad '- "4 worked out a plan of campaign at the '' :* time of the Black Week in December, :" 1898, and sent it to England, and it was - J now among the State papers at Windosr t, Castle.. This interview, it appeared, bad *$ been submitted to the Emperor, and by . 'A him referred to Prince Beulow. It iRAHfe r| to the Foreign Office for examination, • V| and was returned without comment *| The Prince never read it himself until <,-& it appeared in print. He nevertheless > a tendered his resignation as Chancellor, -a but the Kaiser refused to accept it. The -, gg publication of the interview caused mucn •':» irritation in Germany, and criticisms ot ■.» Me Emperor, while abroad the facto •, M were strongly challenged, particularly '| in France and Russia. . -J